Book: The Annotated True Buddha Sutra

Day 12

Discourse No. 12:
(January 14th, 1989)

At that moment, the holy revered White Mahapadmakumara instructed the assembly, saying "In cultivation, the key to realizing the Buddha Jewel Sambodhi is a quiescent mind; that of realizing the Dharma Jewel is purity of body, speech, and mind; that of realizing the Sangha Jewel is refuge in a True Buddha Guru."

Last week, while discussing the difference between "great" and "little" compassion, I mentioned that Master Chao practiced a "little compassion" in his business dealings. As a real estate agent, in order to be competitive and get that extra edge over others, he does not share all his information with his colleagues. He was late tonight because of his job. But, I want to add that our Master Chao also has "great compassion."

A long time ago, I drove to Vancouver and then drove back the next day. Perhaps I was very concentrated on my driving, with my eyes staring ahead and my back rigidly erect, for I developed a lower back pain after the trip. It was a kind of nerve-related pain that lasted two to three hours. The trip was three hours each way, and it could be considered a long motor trip as it entailed six hours of driving. As far as the energy that he is putting into the dissemination of the Dharma is concerned, our Master Chao also has great compassion.

Just think, every Saturday afternoon, he drives three hours from Vancouver to come to the Ling Shen Ching Tze to translate for us. When that is done, he again drives three hours on the return trip. Many students here are from Vancouver and they also travel three hours each way. This is not easy and can only be carried out by someone who has great compassion, the desire to hear the teachings, and propagate the Dharma.

The Pootee Tang Chapter of the True Buddha School is located in Vancouver. So far I have yet to join them in their group cultivation, because I am afraid of driving three hours there and three hours back. Therefore, in terms of his energy to disseminate the Dharma, Master Chao truly has a great compassion. Imagine, it is late at night and dark outside. There is not much scenery to see. To be able to endure three hours of driving in the dark, getting home way past midnight, every week for an entire year - just think of this! I have to admit that in this I cannot compare with him! This is why I am appreciative of all of the students from Vancouver who have made special trips to come here very week. My heart is deeply touched!

Now let us read the next passage of the True Buddha Sutra. "At that moment, the holy revered White Mahapadmakumara instructed the assembly, saying, 'In cultivation, the key to realizing the Buddha Jewel Sambodhi is a quiescent mind; that of realizing the Dharma Jewel is purity of body, speech, and mind; that of realizing the Sangha Jewel is refuge in a True Buddha Guru.'"

I talked about this particular passage at the Convention Hall in North Point, Hong Kong, but I will discuss it again here. This one passage is the most important passage of the whole True Buddha Sutra. It is also the essence of the whole sutra. Every True Buddha practitioner, as long as he or she is able to actualize this one passage, will attain Buddhahood. In this one passage is the secret to the whole True Buddha Sutra. However, this does not mean that one may then ignore all passages preceding or pursuant to this one. When I ask you to read the True Buddha Sutra one thousand times, you cannot readjust this one passage and skip everything else. However, let me tell everyone today that as long as you are able to embody and enact the essence of this one passage, you are a genuine True Buddha. "No thought" or a quiescent mind is the key to the Buddha Jewel of Perfect Realization.

Once Master Chang-jen asked me, "Why are so many of the Zen riddles so hard to understand?" For example, there was this Zen master sitting in contemplation in front of a bamboo tree. Suddenly a bamboo branch split open and emitted a crackling sound. Upon hearing this sound, the Zen master became Enlightened. Another Zen master was meditating inside the woods. Suddenly a leaf fell and, as he watched it sail down through the air and hit the ground, the noise emitted brought him to Enlightenment. Another master was hurriedly walking, taking no rest at all, when suddenly he sprained his ankle and fell. As his head hit the ground, he became Enlightened. In another instance, a big Zen master saw that a little Zen master was still unable to "see," so he took hold of an object and started hitting it against the little Zen master's head. The little Zen master became Enlightened. If such a treatment can bring you Enlightenment, you may come up later and receive some Enlightenment! But you may regret it later and say, "Master, I am going to take you to court and sue you." [audience laughter]

Actually, the common factor to all these riddles is only one word. I am going to tell you the secret to these Zen riddles. Have your ears cleaned, so you can listen clearly. There is nothing unusual about this word; it is not worth a cent after I divulge it. However, if I don't tell you, you will rack your brain over it for three years. The one word is: "stop." Just "stop."

The Zen Master had been thinking for a long time and still could not "see." Suddenly, the bamboo cracked open. It was telling him, "Ah! Don't think, don't think!" The old Zen master was walking and suddenly he fell. This is also "stop"! When I knock your head with a hammer, you are going to faint and become unconscious - this is also a "stop." What is the matter? Why can "stopping" bring one to Enlightenment? To ask you to "stop" is to ask you to not think anymore! Do not have any thought; this is "no thought." There are many examples of such Zen riddles. The key to understanding these riddles rests on the word "stop," which means "no thought."

Earlier, during group cultivation, we entered into samadhi. Did it occur to you to wonder into what kind of samadhi it was? Was it a samadhi of gourmet foods? Was it a samadhi of beautiful women? Was it a samadhi of money? Or was it a samadhi of beautiful clothing? I am wearing new clothing today. Earlier, during meditation, I thought of this new clothing and entered into the samadhi of new clothes. I forgot to lock up my safe today and, during meditation, it suddenly dawned on me: could someone have snuck into my room while I was giving a teaching here? Such a samadhi is even more complicated.

To become Enlightened, you have to enter into samadhi and that is to "stop" the thoughts. You have to put all your thoughts to rest. Only by stopping all your thoughts can you enter into the state of "no thought," the state of a quiescent mind. In a true samadhi, one does not think about "good" or "bad," and there is "no grasping" and "no thought." The authentic True Mind of the Universe is "No Thought." At the time of a genuine "no thought," your mind then becomes wide open, infinite, and merges with the Mind of the Universe.

I often go out to help other people or take middle-of-the-night trips somewhere. My out-of-body night travels are not for fun, but to help all of the students and others who need help. Sometimes I have to take care of three cases in one night, so I am quite exhausted when I come back to my body. What do I do when I am tired? I turn to samadhi as a means to recover my energy.

If you are able to cultivate to the state of "no thought," stopping all of your thoughts, there will immediately be the flowing of energy from the Universe into your body to recharge it. Although your body has expended a great deal of energy helping other people, the force from the Universe will enter into your body to fill you up again. This is like having an exhausted battery in you recharged, so you can continue to help others. If you are unable to enter into "no thought" during your practice, and you often go to help others, then, while you are sitting in group practice, you will be falling asleep. This is because you are continually giving out energy and not getting it replenished. When that happens, you are not sleepy only at night, you are sleepy during the day and even when you are driving. Anytime, standing or sitting, you may fall asleep. This is an indication that you have not cultivated to the state of "no thought." You will feel very tired and enervated, and no amount of simple sleep can make up for it.

Throughout the day, all you need is just a few minutes of "no thought" to replenish your energy. When your mind is in the realm of "no thought," it becomes "infinite." An infinite mind is the "mind of Enlightenment."

Only at the moment of "no thought" does one achieve their greatest purity and most stainless state. Only at the moment of "no thought" can one truly arrive at the other shore of the Buddha and attain perfect Enlightenment.

All wisdoms of the Buddha-mind, as well as all powers that emerge from stability, are grounded in the state of "no thought."

In Zen, "stop" is "one." Being able to put a "stop" to one's thoughts, or to put a "gap" between two thoughts, is already quite a remarkable achievement. If one further enters through the "gap" into the dimension of "no thought" - an infinitely open and boundless dimension - one attains the "Buddha Jewel of Perfect Enlightenment" and becomes a Buddha.

This is all I will say about "no thought" because, if I go further, I will be divulging something very secret and inconceivable. When you are in the state of "no thought," the earth will start shaking, the stars will begin falling from the sky, the maras will be trembling, and all the dimensions in the Universe, the ten Dharma Realms, will emit great light. When you arrive at the true state of "no thought," you will possess the highest, greatest Dharma power in the Universe. You achieve your wishes and all your desires in that state. While you are in that realm of "no thought," the Universe is all yours, because you are already a Buddha!

People everywhere can see you. While you are entering into "no thought"' here at the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple in Redmond, people everywhere - in Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, or any other country - will be able to see you if they focus their minds on you. A person with developed Dharma power can turn his thoughts to you and will be able to receive your energy waves and see you immediately. This is the realization of the Buddha Jewel of Perfect Enlightenment.

Next, "that of realizing the Dharma Jewel is purity of body, speech, and mind." These are the three secrets [in Vajrayana] that pertain to the body, speech, and mind.

When we hold a mudra, the body is engaged in a temporary purity for the duration of that moment.

When we chant the mantra, "Om, Guru, Lian-sheng Siddhi, Hum," one's speech is engaged in a temporary purity for the duration of that moment.

By tapping your head once to stop the string of conceptual thoughts, your mind is engaged in a moment of temporary purity.

We cultivators must train ourselves to extend this temporary purity of the body, speech, and mind into all aspects of our daily lives: while we are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. To be able to maintain at all times these three kinds of purities is to practice the "unifying of the three secrets."

During our group cultivations on Saturdays, which last about thirty minutes, we engage in a kind of temporary purity that is thirty minutes long. Our practice is the tool that enables us to achieve this temporary thirty minutes' long purity - this is our "Dharma Jewel."

If someone asks you, "Who did you share your meals with yesterday? Who did you go out and have some fun with yesterday? Who did you take a walk with? Whom did you sleep with?" How would you answer these questions? Let me tell you. You had meals with the Buddha, you went out and had some fun with the Buddha, you had a stroll with the Buddha, and you slept with the Buddha. If you are with the Buddha every moment, you are actualizing the three secrets (purities), you know how to do cultivation and are in possession of the Dharma Jewel. If you sleep with someone else, then it is not my business.

The last sentence reads, "that of realizing the Sangha Jewel is refuge in a True Buddha Guru" Every one of the masters in our True Buddha School may have students of his or her own. But, such a True Buddha master must have already met the qualifications of being a True Buddha. When I gave out the Acharya Empowerment in the past, I often omitted this. I will, however, include this additional remark from now on: to be a guru is to attain Buddhahood, and then to help all other beings to attain Buddhahood. This is the first path and actually the only path ¡V to become a genuine True Buddha guru. The alternative is when a master fails to achieve all the qualifications for a True Buddha guru and ends up on a path that leads to the Vajra Hell. So, there are only two paths. One leads to attaining Buddhahood and the other descends to the Vajra Hell. There is not a third path. It is my hope that every master of the True Buddha School will become a True Buddha Guru.

Om Mani Padme Hum.

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